Opposition MPs, Oulanyah clash over Nankabirwa's role

PIC: Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa speaks during plenary. (Credit: Kennedy Oryema)

KAMPALA - A section of opposition lawmakers have sparred with Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, over the true role of Government Chief Whip, Ruth Nankabirwa, insisting that she is overstepping her mandate.

Under the Commonwealth parliamentary practice, a Government Chief Whip role is to ensure party discipline in a legislature.

In Uganda's case, the Government Chief Whip is also a cabinet minister, while the Prime Minister is the leader of government business in Parliament.

Since her appointment as Government Chief Whip a year ago, Nankabirwa has often been the face of cabinet during plenary sessions, answering almost every question regarding government ministries and departments in the absence of the Prime Minister and line ministers.

MPs Simon Oyet, Roland Mugume and Fungaro Kaps accused cabinet ministers of hiding behind Nankibirwa whom they accused of overstepping her mandate in breach of Parliament's rules of procedure.

"We cannot be seen to descend to the level of a village meeting," Oyet said as he opposed Nankibirwa tabling ministerial policy statements on behalf of absent ministers.

"This House is governed by rules of procedure which should be followed to the letter. We need to define the role of a Government Chief Whip."

Earlier, Nankibirwa, as she has done on many occasions, seemed to have every answer posed by MPs regarding different ministries.

However, Oulanyah rejected Oyet's stance on Nankibirwa, saying in her position as a cabinet minister, can be delegated by her absent cabinet colleagues to execute such a role.

Nankibirwa is one of the longest serving lawmakers whose wealth of experience and institutional memory comes in handy in executing her role.